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President Martha Pollack on the Hamas Attacks - Are We Watching the Same Massacre?

Writer's picture: Cornell Free Speech AllianceCornell Free Speech Alliance

In the wake of the devastating Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, Cornell University President Martha Pollack issued an official statement on October 10. While intended as a message of support and reflection for the Cornell community, the statement has drawn widespread criticism for its failure to directly acknowledge the atrocities committed against Israeli civilians and the specific impact on Jewish and Israeli students at Cornell.


A Generalized Response to a Specific Tragedy


President Pollack’s statement expressed “horror, sadness, and concern” over the weekend’s events, but conspicuously avoided mentioning the 1,300 Israelis murdered during the unprovoked attack. Among the victims were innocent civilians, including children, who were subjected to unimaginable atrocities, including rape and execution-style killings. Yet, Pollack’s message refrained from assigning responsibility for the attacks or offering explicit condolences to the victims or their families.


Instead, her message generalized the loss of life as a global tragedy, grouping the Hamas attacks with natural disasters like earthquakes and unrelated conflicts in regions such as Afghanistan and Nagorno-Karabakh. By failing to name the perpetrators or acknowledge the specific targeting of Israelis, Pollack’s statement has been seen by many as an example of how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) frameworks distort institutional responses to such events.


An Omission of Responsibility and Empathy


The absence of any direct reference to Hamas or its role in the attacks has been particularly jarring. Pollack’s framing of the “brutal fighting” as a mutual occurrence in the “aftermath” of the attacks suggests a false equivalence between the actions of Hamas terrorists and Israel’s response to defend itself. This omission, critics argue, aligns with a broader DEI-driven narrative that avoids assigning blame to groups labeled as “oppressed,” regardless of their actions.

Cornellians have noted the stark contrast between Pollack’s muted response to the mass killing of Israelis and her impassioned statements following other tragedies. For example, in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in 2020, Pollack issued an emotional and unequivocal condemnation of systemic injustice. The disparity in tone and substance between these statements underscores what many see as the selective application of moral outrage based on prevailing DEI narratives.


Implications for the Campus Climate


The broader impact of this approach has been deeply felt within the Cornell community. Jewish and Israeli students, already grappling with the trauma of the attacks and rising incidents of antisemitism, were left without specific acknowledgment or support. The statement’s focus on providing mental health resources to the Cornell community at large, rather than addressing the unique needs of those directly affected, has only heightened feelings of marginalization.

Moreover, Pollack’s suggestion that Cornellians “learn about the history and politics of the Middle East” risks framing the attacks as a matter of political disagreement rather than unequivocal acts of terrorism. Critics argue that this perspective diminishes the severity of the events and undermines the university’s stated commitment to inclusivity and support for all members of its community.


The Call for Change


As President Pollack prepares to step down from her role, Cornell faces an opportunity to reassess how it navigates issues of global significance and supports its diverse student body. The Cornell Free Speech Alliance calls on the university’s leadership to adopt a more principled approach—one that balances the university’s DEI priorities with a firm commitment to truth, accountability, and the unequivocal condemnation of violence and hatred.


The events of October 7 serve as a stark reminder of the need for moral clarity in the face of atrocities. It is our hope that Cornell’s future leadership will rise to this challenge, ensuring that all members of its community feel seen, supported, and valued, regardless of political or ideological considerations.

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